80 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
{Engravedfor the American Agriculturist .) 
Spring has come again ! So the Calendar says, 
and in accordance with our plan, to introduce each 
Season with an emblematical Sketch, we present 
the above beautiful engraving. Save as an em¬ 
blem of the season upon which we now enter, 
our picture would be out of place this month—that 
is, in this latitude and further north. Here the 
snows of Winter yet cover the earth, or linger on 
northern slopes and along the walls and fences. 
The trees, though their swelling buds inspire hope, 
yet stand forth as bald as in December. The cro¬ 
cus and snow-drop perchance lift their modest 
heads to take a survey of the prospect, but weeks 
must intervene before such scenes as are por¬ 
trayed above will greet us here. The very word 
Spring, however, awakens lively emotions, and 
inspires pleasant anticipations. And already, on 
the sunny fields of our more Southern borders, its 
gentle influence is fully realized. The children 
have begun to twine the garlands of wild flowers, 
and the aged and infirm to seek the glad sunshine 
by the open casement. 
To the tiller of tke soil, who 'milseventhe first 
timid warbling of tne blue-bird which tells him that 
nature is again awaking to greet him, the scene 
will be especially gratef”'.. Though Spring shall 
summon him to more arduous toil, he rejoices 
even in this. The comparative inactivity of Win¬ 
ter has become irksome. Probably no one works 
more “with a will” than he. The mechanic, in his 
dusty and ill-ventilated shop, finds little besides 
the hope of gain to inspire him in his labors, and 
often does he sigh for freedom as he looks through 
the window to the inviting fields and woods that 
tantalize him in the distance. But in what a mag¬ 
nificent theater does the farmer pursue his voca¬ 
tion. The earth around and the sky above seem to 
vie with each other in cheering him. Tothis we 
attribute much of the cheerful alacrity with which 
the plow-man, or the mower goes through his task. 
With the abundance of the best materials about 
him for developing and refining his taste, the cul¬ 
tivator of the soil should be educated to the high¬ 
est point in the appreciation of the beautiful. 
As the Spring comes with willing hand to adorn 
every thing upon which her smile shall rest, 
let each one who owns or occupies even but a 
few feet of soil, with flower or shrub or vine, in¬ 
vite her skill and enjoy her bounty. 
Choice of Site for a House. 
The proper location of a dwelling house, which 
is to be the abode of a family for half a century, 
perhaps, is a matter of very great importance. 
In the case we now suppose, the builder ha6 not 
yet bought his land, and is free to choose wheth¬ 
er it shall be near to a town or remote from it, on 
high ground or low, broken or level, wet or dry. 
If a farmer, he must of course, live out of town. 
He will find, too, that the nearer he is to a large 
village or city, the greater will be his expenses, 
and the more irregular and discontented his labor¬ 
ers. Pleasant as it is to be within sight of the town 
spires and domes, within hearing of the town 
bells, and within easy, reach of the town stores, 
millinery and fancy shops, and saloons, it is not 
necessarily the best situation for the most profit¬ 
able and quiet pursuits of rural life. But suppos¬ 
ing the general question of location already set¬ 
tled, how shall one choose the best particular 
spot on which to build his home 1 
1. Choose a healthy site. The borders of stag¬ 
nant ponds, or marshes, or canals, are not sup¬ 
posed to be healthy. Low, wet ground, or even 
high lands where subsoil is cold and springy, are 
not wholesome. If the elevated ground is very 
desirable in other respects, it may be improved as 
to its healthfulness by thorough drainage, and by 
covering all the walks and roads of the neighbor¬ 
hood with gravel and sand. 
The greatest pains should be taken to secure a 
warm, dry bottom for the house and its surround¬ 
ings. The house is to be the home of the fami 
ly ; the place where tender children and females 
are to spend the greater part of their existence , 
and where their health, happiness, and length of 
life will be very much determined by the nature 
of the soil on which the house stands. Often- 
